Volunteers work at a treatment centre and sanctuary for terminally ill animals. It is a home to over 200 animals including dogs, cows, donkeys, pigs, cats, tortoises, goats, birds, a buffalo and any other animal in need. Volunteers provide hands on help and care to the many animals on site and each day volunteers are needed to help with the daily feeding and cleaning of the animal areas.

In your first few days at the project you will receive an orientation talk and an introduction to the volunteer role.

Volunteers carry out a variety of different roles depending on the needs of the project at the time, which can involve:

• Daily sessions in the dog areas - comforting, bathing, feeding and walking
• One to one time with paralysed and recently injured dogs
• Caring for animals after their initial treatments
• Preparing and distributing food and water
• Cleaning the animal enclosures
• Assisting the vets and nurses
• Helping to care for abandoned puppies
• Monitoring the animals and helping with their rehabilitation
• Giving physical and hydro-therapy to disabled animals
• Spending time giving attention to each animal and recording any injuries or infections

Working days and hours

Volunteers work 5 days per week, Monday to Friday and travel to the Animal Rescue project in a taxi which is included in your placement fee. Volunteers are at the centre from around 9.30am to 4.30pm. During your first week you will have daily Hindi lessons.

Volunteers who stay 2 weeks or more have many exciting trips included in their placement fee and there are lots of free time activities that you can experience at the weekends.

Other volunteers

There are normally 1-3 volunteers who work with local volunteers and staff at the centre. Animal Rescue, Child Care and Community Education volunteers all live together so there are normally 5 to 12 volunteers at the accommodation with a maximum of 18, but this varies considerably throughout the year.

Some volunteers choose to combine the different volunteer roles while in India.

Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) award

This placement has been approved by the DofE as meeting the requirements for the Residential section of the Gold Award.

Volunteer reviews

Read about volunteer experiences and challenges in our India Animal Rescue reviews.

Why are volunteers needed?

With lots of animals requiring care and daily monitoring, the additional support from volunteers allows the centre to provide a high level of care to the animals, as well as allowing them to increase the number of animals they can care for.

“Volunteers can save lives at the Animal Rescue project by helping our nurses and doctors treat animals, encouraging sick or shy dogs to eat, bottle feeding orphaned animals and many more adventure await helping animals in India”
Raj, Street Animal Rescue team

Closure dates

This project is closed between 13 May - 23 Jun 2018 and 12 May - 22 Jun 2019

India

India is a popular tourist destination and it’s clear to see why as it offers a unique immersive experience. It’s a diverse destination from golden beaches in Goa to vibrant cities that will leave you wanting to see more!

Popular activities in India include:

• Visiting the Taj Mahal – a visit to India is not complete without a visit to the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World
• The Golden Triangle – is a popular route for travellers connecting the national capital Delhi, Agra (for the Taj Mahal) and Jaipur in Rajasthan
• Trying Indian Cuisine – there is a huge variety of Indian curries and delicacies!
• Experiencing one of India’s many festivals – Diwali and Holi festivals are a bright and colourful spectacle not to be missed

To find out more, see the Lonely Planet India

Local area and free time

The project is based on the outskirts of Udaipur, a vibrant city that attracts visitors with its colourful temples and palaces. A day can easily be spent exploring the colourful street markets with beautiful Rajasthan jewellery and clothing. Known to locals as the “City of Lakes”, it is now considered one of the most romantic destinations in India, thanks to its lakes and mountainous scenery!

Lake Pichola is a relaxing spot to try local cuisines and admire the stunning views of the Lake Palace, Monsoon Palace and the surrounding mountains. The Jagdish Temple and City Palace are interesting places to visit to learn more about the local culture and history.

If you join the team for 2 weeks or more, after your first weekend where local trips are organised, volunteers can arrange weekend trips to some of India’s famous sights and cities including the Taj Mahal or Jodhpur desert safari.

You can enjoy yoga, cook local dishes, learn Rajasthan dances or practise henna at the volunteer accommodation - a great way to learn about Indian culture. Volunteers have free time in the evenings where they can relax, read a book, watch films and TV in the communal areas.

Trips

For volunteers who join the project for 2 weeks or more, during your first weekend the local team arrange trips to the following local sights:

• Monsoon Palace - offers stunning views of Udaipur!
• Waterfront cultural theatre dance and puppet show
• Medieval hilltop fortress of Kumbhagargh (the second longest wall in the world!)
• Ranakpur Jain Temple – a beautiful temple of intricate marble carvings

Accommodation

Volunteers live in a family guesthouse alongside the local team. Each bedroom has its own bathroom. You share a room with up to 3 other volunteers on a single-sex basis. The accommodation is simple but clean and has a TV room, dining room, kitchen and has WIFI. The accommodation is a 20 minute drive from the Animal Rescue centre.

Emily

“Volunteering at the Animal Rescue project was an incredibly rewarding experience that left me with long-lasting memories and a new perspective on compassion and empathy for other living beings. It is an inspiring place to be, and the efforts of the owners to provide a sanctuary for the city’s injured animals is humbling.

The host family were wonderfully accommodating and not once did I ever feel homesick. They were eager to help me make the most of my time in India and their hospitality was above and beyond what I could have expected.”

Shannon

“From the place to the people everything about volunteering in Udaipur was spectacular. At the accommodation I was made to feel like I was at home and nothing was too much trouble. In terms of Animal Rescue my experience went above and beyond me expectations. Every morning I woke up excited to go and see the animals, I especially loved spending time in handicapped heaven and feeding the calfs.

Not only did I get an amazing experience but I also made some volunteer friends who I plan to meet up with in the future. During my placement I also gained a lot of confidence and I now have more appreciation for simple things at home. The most rewarding aspect for me was just spending my time at the Animal Rescue, I enjoyed every moment of it.”

Nina

“I can definitely say that this experience changed me as a person. Working with people that have nothing but still manage to give 100% to animals in need really made me reconsider a lot of things. The staff at the Animal Rescue centre are amazing, they are all so nice and friendly and so good at what they do. I particularly enjoyed spending time with the calves and cows, which I would never would have thought of before coming!

We had to dedicate a lot of time just sitting and petting the dogs but after a while I understood that it really makes a big difference for them and moreover there’s always some more hands on manual work to do (poo to be scooped, sacks to be carried, dogs to be shampooed…)-you just need to ask!! Overall, it was a really intense experience I would recommend to anybody who truly loves animals.”

Maja

“I honestly had time of my life volunteering on Animal Rescue project! I’ve met so many great people and I am sure it was the beginning of a lifetime friendships. Never before have I learnt so much about Indian culture and customs or gained so much experience about working with animals. It was an adventure to remember and I am sure I will be back! I had an amazing time volunteering and I met so many lovely people.

I also loved working with the animals. It really gave me satisfaction to see that my help was needed. Last time I was in India I fell in love with that country but now I think I love it even more thanks to the volunteering project.”

Read more reviews

Before you go:

• Carefully selected and vetted volunteer project
• Support from our friendly and highly experienced Pod UK team
• Single point of contact - Lucy is your dedicated Pod Volunteer Specialist
• In-depth volunteering and planning your trip guides
• Travel information - visa, health and safety advice
• Access to specialist travel insurance at exclusive rates
• Recommended travel agency for flights and tours
• Access to special deals and resources
• Fundraising guide and support
• Financial protection for monies paid to Pod

On your placement:

• Animal care volunteering placement
• Airport pick up from Udaipur airport and return transfer
• Accommodation - shared room
• Induction to the placement and culture
• Hindi language lessons
• Food - all main meals
• 2 day tours of the city and local sights (for 2 week + placements)
• Onsite support from local team
• Support from Pod UK office by phone and email
• 24/7 emergency back up
• Incident Management and Emergency Response Plans

On your return:

• Contact from your Pod Volunteer Specialist
• Feedback scheme
• Volunteering certificate (on request)
• References (on request)
• Member of the Pod community

Not included: Flights, travel insurance, visa. Budgeting guidance is provided in our Volunteering Guide which we will email you when you apply.

Pod Volunteer is run as a non-profit organisation. Fee levels are set to match costs and any surplus monies are distributed to the projects we work with via the Pod Charity.